The Underground Railroad was the passage to freedom for many
slaves, but it was rife with dangers. While there were dedicated
conductors and safe houses, there were also arduous nights in the
mountains and days in threatening towns. For those who made it to
Midnight, the code name given to Detroit, the Detroit River became
their Jordan. And Canada became their "land of Canaan," the
Promised Land where they could live freely in various black
settlements under the protection of British law. One of these
settlements was known as Dawn. In prose rich in detail and imagery,
"From Midnight to Dawn" presents compelling portraits of the men
and women who established the Railroad and the people who traveled
it to find new lives in Canada. Some of the figures are well known,
like Harriet Tubman and John Brown. But there are equally heroic,
less familiar figures here as well, like William Parker, who fought
off a group of whites determined to reenslave him. Parker resettled
in Canada, learned how to read and write, and recounted his story
as a slave narrative. "From Midnight to Dawn" evokes the turmoil
and controversies of the time, including the furor over the
publication of "Uncle Tom's Cabin," congressional confrontations in
Washington, and fierce disputes among black settlers in Canada over
whether they should ask for money from abolitionists or strive to
be self-supporting. An extraordinary examination of a part of
American history, "From Midnight to Dawn" will captivate readers
with its tales of hope and courage.